Honestly, I had felt bad that I had forgotten, though to be quite fair a lot had happened since I had last spoken to her. It certainly was not because I did not care to remember her, but that I had become so distracted by my budding relationship with Isaiah and my mind was quite preoccupied. 

It was a few months before school started, I had been saving up money from odd jobs Arasa gave me around the castle, and I was ready to finally buy myself some clothes from the famous Snowdrop Boutique. I of course had no intentions of going in person, but Arasa insisted it would be the better experience. This led to me fabricating some lie to my father just so he would not interrogate me as to why I needed to go out into the city on such short notice. 

“They need to do my fitting for my school uniform…”

“You have grown quite a bit recently,” I could not believe how quick and easy he believed me, “very well, I will arrange an escort,” my father grumbled as he went to lift his phone receiver to make a call.

“Oh no, your majesty, don’t worry I will take care of it,” Arasa offered for me, saving me the embarrassment of involving any more people in my little rouse. 

“If you insist,” he huffed out of his nose and turned his attention away from us, as though we had ceased to exist the moment our business was done with him.

 “Tell me again what benefit I have from visiting the shop in person?” I groaned while we walked down the castle halls.

“Clothes often look different in person than on a computer screen, if you truly want to find the best outfit for your money then you must go in person,” she argued, “also, Notalie is notorious for featuring her best designs in store only, so those who visit will find they have a better selection from those shopping via the v-space.” 

It was a fair and valid point, but a pain all the same. I would need to conceal my identity, after all I could not let anyone know that the crown prince was out in public for the first time in a decade. Tabloids and gossip sites would have a field day were they to catch me shopping. I could already have imagined the headlines “Hermit prince emerges after several years!” It was simply too risky for me to be out of the castle, ever since my baptism in which my eyes had been revealed to a not so small number of people, all of which my father had to pay to keep their silence. I often wonder if he truly did bribe them, or if he imprisoned them all instead…  

Putting that grim thought behind me, I left the castle with my maid, donning a cloak and the most simple, least princely clothing I owned. We rode in the most inconspicuous of vehicles available, which just happened to be her own personal car. The whole ride there I glanced out the windows, taking in the sights of the countryside drive while trying to not think of the possibility I might accidentally reveal my secret. I of course should have been worried about the same secret my father worried about, that being my mismatched eyes, but the real secret I had guarded so staunchly was of course the clothes I intended to buy that day. 

I had been following Notalie’s boutique on social media for quite some time and was enamored by the many different ‘princely’ outfits she made that had a very, well, feminine flair to them. Traditional outfits from ages past, she described them as, the fits of royalty from ages long ago. Perhaps it was that men in those days did not fret about whether they appeared traditionally masculine, or perhaps it was that the definition of masculinity was different back then, but either way I felt it was a good way to wear something cute that I could argue was made for a prince. My whole thought process would change however, once we arrived in the city. 

There we were, standing in front of the famous boutique, one frequented by noble and commoner alike, a place in which clients would travel across the country to purchase one of its proprietor's brilliant designs. It would be such an easy location for me to be exposed… Try as I might, my legs would not move, I was frozen in place, a statue in front of the surprisingly modest looking shop. This really was it, or was it? Had it not been for the sign, and the beautiful dress on display in the window, I would almost have thought Arasa had brought me to the wrong location. 

“Come on, sweetie, they’re not going to bite silly,” my maid chuckled as she urged me forward through the door. 

No more bold or confident, but at least a touch more willing to move, I stepped through the door and was immediately struck by a total sense of awe. Again, I had become like a statue, petrified by the spectacle of the many elaborate outfits surrounding me. This was absolutely Notalie Snowdrop’s boutique. When the paralyzing wave of excitement finally subsided, it was replaced by the burden of choice. Now that I was there seeing the clothes in person, how could I simply choose a single outfit? Hooded vests with animal ears, fluffy ruffled shirts, cute puffy shorts, thigh high socks, adorable caps, cuffs, skirts, gowns, dresses, all adorned with ribbons, chains, bobbles and bows! It was not even till I had got there that I began to consider women's clothing as an option at all, but seeing them in all their beautiful splendor, suddenly the cute prince outfits felt far less desirable in comparison. I knew then that I would not leave happy without one of Notalie's famous dresses.

From rack to rack and mannequin to mannequin I hopped around closely examining every gown on display. From cute flowy bouffant dresses to formal debutante dresses, I was spoiled for choice. Then I saw it, being hung on a mannequin by an adorable silver haired girl, a black gothic gown with lace trim, bows, ribbons, and a petticoat. I had to have that dress! But, how could I ask for such a thing? It was so clearly made for a girl, and I was so obviously not a girl. Still, I wanted it, no, I needed it. I could not, however, be so bold as to walk up to a girl my age and inquire about a dress, especially not a girl as cute as her, so I looked around for the nearest adult associate. 

That is when I met Notalie. It only took a single moment of eye contact to bring her swaying over to me, practically floating as she approached. I would have never known she was a demon back then, partly because I did not know what demons were, but also because she was wearing a black wig. “My, my, why hello there, love, how could I be of assistance for you today?”

“I, um… well I would like to purchase that dress over there, or one like it at least,” the words spilled out of my mouth in a confused mess that I am not entirely sure was in the right order, but still somehow conveyed my intentions.

“Do you know your measurements, or would you need us to size you first?”     

“Oh no, it’s for my sister,” I lied, “and yes I know my, her measurements,” I had nearly slipped up, but caught myself. 

“Very well your highness, just give them to me and I will see if we have it available in her size,” she winked, I think, honestly it is hard to tell if a person wearing an eyepatch was winking at you or not.

“How, I uh, I…”

“Everyone one is royalty here, noble and commoner alike,” she smiled and winked again, I think. 

“Notalie, you got to be more careful, you might scare the poor child,” Arasa sighed.

"My baaaad~" the woman sang as she spoke, "now come along dear and we'll get you your dress."

"My sister's dress," I corrected her. 

She took me aside and I gave her my measurements, then she fetched the very dress that was on the mannequin and brought it to me. "How lucky you are, it would seem your measurements, or sisters measurements are nearly a perfect fit for this dress." It was fate, it had to be, finally after years of misery something had gone right for me. "Bring this to the counter and my daughter will ring you out," she patted my head and flashed a suspicious smile. 

Her daughter, the cute girl I had seen hanging the dress, stood behind the counter, rocking back and forth to the music blaring from her black-cat headphones. She wore an off the shoulder top with the name of some band on it and a pleated black miniskirt over a pair of black jeans that had been ripped to the point they barely functioned as pants. Basically, she was cute, like really cute, and I now had to talk to her… Slowly I placed the dress on the counter and shrunk underneath my hood, "I would like to buy this, please," I mumbled as my face burned a bright sunny red.

Her one visible eye lit up as she spied my blushing face under my hood, "it's a really pretty dress, I bet you're going to look amazin in it!" She grinned from ear to ear as she typed something into the register.

"It is… it is not for me," I lied again.

"Oh? Huh weird, looks like it'd fit ya like a glove," she hummed as she spoke, "I actually made a matching one to this, gonna wear it on Solmas."

"You made this dress?"

"Technically, I drew up the designs for it," she pulled her headphones off while she spoke to me, "I was hopin someone cute would buy it, and looks like I got my wish."

"I… uh… but.. I am not…" my brain could not process what was being said, she called me cute! Me? Cute? Maybe her vision was not that great because she only had one visible eye, “thank you,” I took the compliment, even if it felt misplaced.

“You from around here?” she asked, twiddling her fingers around a chain that hung from the belt loops of her skirt.

“No, just passing through,” not technically a lie, though this was the closest city to the castle, I would not call myself a resident of the city.

“Shame, I’d hoped I’d get to see ya again sometime,” why though? I could not wrap my head around why this girl would ever want to see someone like me again, “anyways, your total is going to be two-eighty, buut,” she clicked on some keys, “I’ll give ya my discount cause I like your face,” she grinned at me with a sultry look in her eyes, and my face would not stop flushing. I paid her the new total, and as she handed me my change she wrote something on my receipt, “alright, thank you for shopping with us, hope you enjoy your new dress cutie!” 

I took my dress and the receipt, bowed my head and practically yelled “thank you!” before darting out the door. I was so flustered by the whole interaction that I may have forgotten to let Arasa know I was done. I had been waiting in the car, my face buried in my new dress, nearly sobbing from a cocktail of emotions washing around inside of me. 

“So then, you bought a dress?” Arasa asked as she drove me back to the palace.

“Please, please do not let my father know!” I begged her, holding the garment close to my chest as if I were hugging a loved one.

“Silly boy, you don’t have to worry, this secret will stay between us,” Arasa was a true saint, there was a reason she was my favorite of the maids in the castle. “Though it may be hard for you to wear it in secret, all things considered.”

I frowned, having not really thought about that, I had made my decision in haste, and my whole thought process had only been made more fuzzy by that interaction with the cute salesgirl. Still, I was happy with my purchase, far happier than I had ever been before. “I will be leaving for school soon, perhaps then I can finally have some privacy.”

“You’re going to be in a single dorm, so that should work, but I guess try and not get caught regardless,” she warned me, “the Shepherds don’t take kindly to anything outside their standards of ‘perfection’.”

“Yes, I am well aware,” I was both happy and glum, excited and exacerbated. My mind became so preoccupied with thoughts of getting to wear my new dress, I had almost missed the note written on my receipt. It was a v-mail address with a little message that simply said, ‘let’s chat, cutie~’ [email protected]

A month would go by before I worked up the courage to send her a message, and when I did finally do it, I did not know how to tell her it was me. I simply said, “hello, I recently purchased a dress from you. I just wanted to say I really liked your outfit, and also the dress you designed is really pretty. Thank you.” Years of training in writing formal letters had basically been tossed out the moment I tried to muster any semblance of sociality. I was a mess even in v-mail form. I was such a dork, I was certain she would never respond. 

But she did respond. “Heya, glad you like the dress. Lemme know how it fits. Maybe you can even send a selfie in it sometime? Nah, jk, you don’t gotta do that if you dont wanna. Oh, btw I never got your name cause you totally booked it before I could ask lol”  

I sat there reading her message over and over, wondering how I should respond. It seemed clear to me she thought I was a girl, a realization that made me far happier than I had ever expected. The only people I ever got to call me a girl before were people on message boards who probably knew I was pretending anyways. She, however, had met me in person and somehow still mistook me for a girl. So of course I would have to correct her, tell her the truth. "My name is Aida," I could not bring myself to tell her the truth. I was far too happy with the lie.

"That's a hella cute name! I'm Isabel, but you probably could tell cause my v-mail name lol. So Aida, you goin to school in the city?"

"Not technically, I will be attending the shepherd's academy soon, sadly."

"Oh yea? I heard that place sucks. Good luck girl. Gotta be tough bein a girl in an all boy's school."

I felt so stupid… of course she knew it was an all-boy's school, who did not know already? "No, no, I meant another Shepherds school, not that one! A girls' school!"

"I bet you look real cute when you get all panicky ;3" I could not tell if she was bullying me, or flirting with me, though in hindsight perhaps it was both. Before I could respond she sent another message, "don't worry, I ain't judgin. So other than impeccable taste in fashion, what else do you like to do?" From there we sent messages back and forth, talking about our hobbies and interests. As it would turn out we both enjoyed a lot of the same books and music. In fact, she seemed to have the exact same taste as Isaiah, though I suppose that would make sense, they are probably siblings after all. Perhaps that would explain the sense of deja vu I had experienced that night Isaiah and I first learned of each other's interests.  

From then till the day I left for school we remained friends, messaging each other nearly daily, then while riding to the academy I said my goodbye, "I am sorry, but my V-space access will be restricted for some time, I may not be able to message you until winter break."

Her final response was puzzling. "Okie, I'll see you soon Aida <3" I suppose she meant as in we will talk again soon, but she simply worded it wrong.

Now that it is winter break, I thought to myself, and I am quite literally in the home of Notalie Snowdrop, I should ask about Isabel. I would very much like to meet her again. And so after Notalie had finished laughing and told me, “she is in the kitchen,” I was quite excited to see her after all this time. So, I excused myself from the table and scurried on over to the kitchen.

I opened the door with the same kind of excitement as when I opened the present Isaiah gave to me, only to be greeted by the sight of my boyfriend, donning a pair of black-cat headphones and singing off key as he washed the dishes. I almost shut the door and turned back around, a sliver of disappointment creeping towards my heart, when I realized something. Those headphones were the exact same as hers.

With that realization I crept up to my unassuming partner, shaking as I reached my hand and tugged on their sleeve. They turned to me and pushed their headphones away from their ears.

“Isa…Isabel?”

Without warning she kissed me, then looked me in the eyes with a big warm grin, “took you long enough, cutie.”